SEC baseball power rankings: Tennessee takes over top spot as conference race heats up
The race for the SEC regular-season title is heating up with two weeks to go. After one dominant squad cruised to the title in both 2021 and 2022, the landscape in 2024 is looking more like 2023, where four teams are still in contention for the crown.
Down the stretch, any among Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee could still capture the league crown. The Wildcats sit atop the standings, but it's a different conference foe that leads this week's power rankings.
All rankings, records and stats are as of games May 5
1. Tennessee
Tennessee took its series against Florida and has now won all but one of its weekends this season. The Vols will travel to rival Vanderbilt for a series with significant stakes for both sides.
Record: 39-9 (17-7 SEC)
Last week: 2
MORE ON TENNESSEE Hunter Ensley powers Tennessee baseball in 11-run inning, Vols hammer Florida in series win
2. Texas A&M
Texas A&M got tripped up at LSU this weekend as the quality of the pitching has slipped. The Aggies have fallen back in the race for the SEC but can still make up ground by hosting Arkansas the final week of the regular season.
Record: 40-8 (16-8 SEC)
Last week: 1
3. Kentucky
Kentucky recovered from back-to-back series losses with a big series win over Arkansas. The Wildcats lead the SEC but will face two teams desperate for a few more wins to finish out their season in Florida and Vanderbilt.
Record: 35-10 (18-6)
Last week: 5
4. Arkansas
Arkansas, the first SEC team to 40 wins, continues to have the league's top pitching staff, but the offense has scored more than eight runs in just three of 24 SEC games so far and that's not likely to cut it in the postseason.
Record: 40-9 (17-7)
Last week: 3
MORE ON ARKANSAS Starting pitching struggles as Arkansas baseball drops SEC series to Kentucky
5. Mississippi State
Mississippi State has surged late in the season and could host a regional thanks to an excellent starting rotation. Like Arkansas, the Bulldogs have been a bit lacking offensively, which should set up a low-scoring series between the two.
Record: 32-16 (14-10)
Last week: 6
MORE ON MISSISSIPPI STATE Unpacking Mississippi State baseball's series vs Alabama, including Bulldogs' hosting hopes
6. South Carolina
South Carolina held serve with a series victory over Missouri. Three wins in the Gamecocks' next six should be enough to host, but those games come against Georgia and Tennessee.
Record: 32-15 (13-11)
Last week: 4
MORE ON SOUTH CAROLINA South Carolina baseball's rally in 7th, 8th innings rescue SEC series win over Missouri
7. Georgia
The best of a stretch of teams that has performed well at home and struggles immensely on the road, Georgia has four SEC series wins at Foley Field − and four series losses away from it.
Record: 35-12 (13-11)
Last week: 9
8. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt is 2-10 away from Hawkins Field in SEC play, and that's a major problem with series against Tennessee and Kentucky looming. At least the Commodores get the Vols at home.
Record: 32-16 (11-13)
Last week: 7
MORE ON VANDERBILT Why Tennessee series is even more crucial for Vanderbilt baseball after sweep by Georgia
9. Alabama
At home, Alabama has series wins over Tennessee, South Carolina and Texas A&M. On the road, the Crimson Tide is 3-9, and it likely will need a road series victory over Auburn to get in a regional.
Record: 29-18 (10-14)
Last week: 8
10. Florida
Florida stayed on track for a regional by taking a game off Tennessee but will need to win three of its final six against Kentucky and Georgia to guarantee entering the postseason over .500.
Record: 24-23 (10-14)
Last week: 10
11. LSU
After losing five straight series to start the season, LSU may finally be starting to make a run. The Tigers have won three straight series, including one over Texas A&M. The question is whether that's too little, too late.
Record: 31-18 (9-15)
Last week: 11
12. Ole Miss
With the same SEC record as LSU and a series remaining against the Tigers, Ole Miss theoretically still has a shot at the postseason, but the Rebels will need to win at least one game against Texas A&M − and quite possibly the series − to make it happen.
Record: 25-22 (9-15)
Last week: 12
MORE ON OLE MISS Making sense of a complicated weekend for Ole Miss baseball at Auburn
13. Missouri
Since sweeping Florida, Missouri has lost four straight series. The Tigers are still in play for the final spot in the SEC tournament but are two games behind Ole Miss and LSU.
Record: 21-38 (7-17)
Last week: 13
14. Auburn
No team has ever lost 10 SEC series or 25 SEC games. Auburn has two weeks left to avoid becoming the first − and it could come down to a rivalry series against Alabama to end the season.
Record: 22-24 (4-20)
Last week: 14
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Tennessee is new No. 1 in SEC baseball power rankings
